1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to equipment for protecting the face of the user. More specifically, the present invention concerns a face guard for protecting a baseball player""s face from a baseball without restricting the player""s generally horizontal line of sight when the guard is donned by the player.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Baseball and softball players are at risk of being hit in the face by a moving ball. It is known in the art to protect the face of some ball players (e.g., catchers) with a face guard or mask. These catcher-type masks typically include significant padding and/or framing around the face of the user for protective purposes. As a result, catcher-type masks are bulky and tend to obstruct aspects of the player""s vision. These limitations are undesirable for players other than the catcher (e.g., pitchers, infielders, etc.) and therefore catcher-type masks are problematic for their protection.
Infielder masks for ball players are known in the art and are typically less bulky than the catcher-type masks discussed above. However, these prior art infielder masks are problematic and have several limitations. For example, prior art infielder masks undesirably obstruct the player""s horizontal line of sight, including the player""s peripheral vision, either because the framing interferes with the player""s vision when the mask is properly positioned or because the mask moves relative to the player""s face during use. In addition, prior art infielder masks are uncomfortable and do not adequately protect the player""s face. For example, prior art infielder masks cannot be sufficiently secured to the face to substantially absorb the impact forces of a ball engaging the mask and/or the masks are not sufficiently configured to adequately transfer the absorbed impact forces (e.g., the masks are not spaced from the face, the face is not insulated from the mask, etc.). Furthermore, prior art infielder masks are difficult to don, requiring the player to use both hands to position the mask on the face and hold it there while simultaneously adjusting the necessary straps to secure the mask to the face. These limitations are undesirable because they discourage ball players from wearing the masks thereby compromising the players"" safety.
The present invention provides an improved face guard that does not suffer from the problems and limitations of prior art masks as set forth above. The inventive face guard provides effective yet comfortable protection for a baseball player""s face from a baseball without restricting the player""s generally horizontal line of sight when the guard is donned by the player. The inventive face guard can be easily and sufficiently secured to the player""s face and once secured thereto remains adequately spaced and insulated from the face to substantially absorb impact forces of a ball engaging the guard without undesirably transferring the forces to protected features of the face.
A first aspect of the present invention concerns a face guard for protecting a baseball player""s face from a baseball without restricting the player""s generally horizontal line of sight when the guard is donned by the player. The inventive face guard broadly includes an open framework configured to prevent a baseball from contacting the player""s face when the guard is donned, a plurality of straps coupled to the framework and operable to position and retain the framework on the player when the guard is donned, and compressible padding connected to the framework and configured to contact the player and thereby space the framework from the face when the guard is donned. The framework includes a plurality of vertically spaced crossbars extending across the player""s face when the guard is donned and a plurality of risers interconnecting the crossbars. The framework is positioned, when the guard is donned, outside of the player""s generally horizontal line of sight. The padding presents a brow pad and a chin pad. The brow pad extends laterally across the face and is configured to contact the brow of the player when the guard is donned. The chin pad extends vertically along the face and is configured to contact the chin of the player when the guard is donned. The risers are free of the padding.
A second aspect of the present invention concerns a face guard for protecting a baseball player""s face from a baseball without restricting the player""s generally horizontal line of sight when the guard is donned by the player. The inventive face guard broadly includes an open framework configured to prevent a baseball from contacting the player""s face when the guard is donned, a plurality of straps coupled to the framework and operable to position and retain the framework on the player when the guard is donned, and compressible padding connected to the framework and configured to contact the player and thereby space the framework from the face when the guard is donned. The framework includes a plurality of vertically spaced crossbars extending across the player""s face when the guard is donned and a plurality of risers interconnecting the crossbars. The framework is positioned, when the guard is donned, outside of the player""s generally horizontal line of sight. The straps include a positioning strap and a securing strap. The positioning strap is continuous and stretchable and configured to extend around the player""s head and thereby position the guard on the player""s face when the guard is donned. The securing strap is adjustable and configured to snugly enclose the player""s head and thereby secure the guard on the player""s face once the guard is positioned on the player""s face.
A third aspect of the present invention concerns a face guard for protecting a baseball player""s face from a baseball without restricting the player""s generally horizontal line of sight when the guard is donned by the player. The inventive face guard broadly includes an open framework configured to prevent a baseball from contacting the player""s face when the guard is donned, a plurality of straps coupled to the framework and operable to position and retain the framework on the player when the guard is donned, and compressible padding connected to the framework and configured to contact the player and thereby space the framework from the face when the guard is donned. The framework includes a plurality of vertically spaced crossbars extending across the player""s face when the guard is donned and a plurality of risers interconnecting the crossbars. The framework is positioned, when the guard is donned, outside of the player""s generally horizontal line of sight. The straps include a positioning strap and first and second securing straps. The positioning strap is continuous and stretchable. The first and second securing straps are adjustable. The first securing strap is configured to secure the guard on the player""s face when the guard is donned so that movement of the guard relative to the player""s face in a first direction is substantially prevented. The second securing strap is configured to secure the guard on the player""s face when the guard is donned so that movement of the guard relative to the player""s face in a second direction is substantially prevented wherein the first and second directions are generally perpendicular to one another. The padding presents a brow pad and a chin pad. The brow pad extends laterally across the face and is configured to contact the brow of the player when the guard is donned. The chin pad extends vertically along the face and is configured to contact the chin of the player when the guard is donned.
A fourth aspect of the present invention concerns a method of protecting a baseball player""s face from impact forces of a baseball without restricting the player""s generally horizontal line of sight. The inventive method broadly includes the steps of positioning an open framework on the player""s face so tat a plurality of vertically spaced crossbars in the framework extend across the player""s face outside of the players generally horizontal line of sight; spacing the framework from the player""s face with compressible padding so that the padding generally defines a first point of contact generally at the player""s brow and a second point of contact generally at the player""s chin; and securing the framework to the player""s face so that impact forces of a baseball engaging the framework are substantially limited to the first and second points of contact.